Dr Supen Kumar Sah, Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering presents his exclusive study on the thermo-mechanical bending behaviour of functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich plates using the Sinusoidal Shear Deformation Theory (SSDT) in his recent paper titled “Thermo-mechanical bending of power and sigmoid FGM sandwich plate using sinusoidal shear deformation theory”. The paper has been published in the Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, having an impact factor of 3.2.
Abstract
This study examines the thermo-mechanical bending behaviour of functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich plates with temperature-dependent properties. FGMs, typically made from metal and ceramic, combine rigidity and high thermal resistance, and their properties are assumed to vary continuously in thickness. Using sigmoid and power law distributions, we analyse the smooth variation of properties and apply a one-dimensional heat conduction equation to determine temperature changes. The Sinusoidal Shear Deformation Theory (SSDT) is utilised to account for the sinusoidal distribution of shear stress while meeting traction-free boundary conditions. We derive the governing equations through Hamilton’s variational principle and Navier’s solution, resulting in closed-form solutions for center deflection, and normal and shear stresses of the plates. The analysis reveals that temperature-dependent properties and gradation indices significantly affect central deflection, normal stress, and shear stress. The SSDT results align well with existing shear deformation theory, confirming its accuracy.
Dr Sah collaborated with Dr Anup Ghosh from IIT Kharagpur on the research study. He aims to continue his research on FGMA and focus on the structural analysis of multidirectional Functionally Graded Material sandwich plates in the future.
